DJ Blackcat pretends to be modest about last year’s massively successful Urban Jungle Weekend: “The whole Sunday night we had over 1,000 people in and out. I was shocked. I think The Barn was too.” Blackcat is on a mission to create “some Caribana space on Church St,” with multiple parties during Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto weekend. It all climaxes in a three-floor party at The Barn, which includes an all-ages space on the main floor. “There are a lot of young cats who want to come out to my parties, and now they can,” Blackcat says proudly. Spinning from 2pm till the wee small hours would test Blackcat’s endurance, but with the Yes Yes Y’All crew and Craig Dominic added to the DJ list, he’ll have some relief. After spinning all afternoon at Summer Breeze, which morphs into the Summer Sizzle Ball, in Zipperz’s parking lot, Blackcat expects to draw lots of new faces across the intersection to The Barn’s dancefloor. “They walk by and say, What’s this about?” he laughs. “We’re opening it up to all the people.”

Summer Breeze runs 2–10pm on Sun, July 31, with the Summer Sizzle Ball starting at 7pm, in the Zipperz parking lot, 72 Carlton St. Urban Jungle is at 10pm on Sun, July 31 at The Barn, 418 Church St.